Catapult for game boards



L. GRASS-0.

CATAPULT FOR GAME BOARDS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I7. I921.

Patented Jan. M), 119220 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

mwmm o STRIKE E 2 3 4- 5 6 7 8 9 I0 I? R M E our nuns smmas:

. v i bygiu Asa/vamp 69 9550, 9

L. GRASSO.

CATAPULT FOR GAME BOARDS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.17, I921.

Patented Jan. W, 11.922,

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

ILAQ8AQQQ UNHTED STATES PATENT @FFTCE.

LEONARD GRASSO, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CATAPULT FOR GAME BOARDS.

Specification of Letters Patent. fpg tg f e jl J n 1(1 1922;

Application filed February 17, 1921. Serial No. 445,753.

therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to game boards and has for an object to provide "an improved board with instrumentalities whereon and wherewith a game may be played analogizing a game of baseball.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game board having one or more catapults with improved means for adjusting the stress exerted and with features carried by the board for co-acting with the projectile actuated by the catapult.

A further object of the invention is to pro.- vide a game board having one or more catapults wherein the projecting force is an elastic band replaceable to vary the stress of the force, and with adjusting means for varying the movement or throw of the catapult actuated by the elastic band. I

A further ob'ect of the invention is to provide a board aving improved means for temporarily registering the various points of the game, making it convenient to eliminate such record as the progress'of the game may make necessary or desirable.

A further object or the invention is to provide a game board having pockets for the detention of the projectile, such pockets being in the form of wickets arranged upon planes at an angle to each other, or V-shaped.

With these and other objects in view the device comprises certain novel units, elements, parts, features, and combinations as will be hereinafter more fully-described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the improved game board;

Figure 2s a view of the game board in side elevation;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of one corner of the game board showing the catapult arrangement on an enlarged scale;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective fragmentary View of a part of the board showing the obstructions and wickets;

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the hammer part of the catapault;

Figure 7 is a detail view of one of the wickets; v Figure 8 is a detail View of a modifica- 10311 of the wickets made in two sections, an

Figure 9 is a detail fragmentary view of a slight modification in the tension arrangement for the catapult, but sufficiently analogousl to be represented by line 99 of Figure Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several vlews.

While the game board disclosed in the present application is, as above stated, intended for the playing of a game analogous to baseball, the invention itself resides in the board and not in the game played thereon. The board comprises a substantially plane base member 10 having a rail 11 about the margin and set for playing at an inclination, as indicated at Figures 2 and 4, such inclination being maintained in any approved manner, as by a leg 12. At the end which would be the upper end when so elevated, curves 13 are produced, such curves meeting at a downwardly extended point 14 centrally of the board. Along the sides and adjacent to the side rails 11, catapults are arranged for the purpose of initiatin movement of a projectile through the passages 15,such a projectile being shown at 16,-into engagement with the curves 13 provided sufficient force is employed for so projecting the projectile.

For initiating the movement of the projectile, a hammer 17 is mounted to slide in the passage 15 and is actuated by the employment of an elastic band 18. Preferably,

I means for adjusting the tensionof the band relative to the hammer isprovided, one of such means being by employing a staple 19 inserted in openings 20 in the hammer 17,

a sufiicient number of said openings being provided, as indicated at Figure 6, to perrnit the adjustment of the sta le 19 longitudinally of the hammer 17. he staple 19 is inserted through one of the loops of the elastic band 18, the opposite end being held by a hook 21 which may be made ad ustable by providinga plurality otperforations 22 into which is inserted the extremity 23.

To prevent the withdrawal of the hammer l7 fromthe passage 15 a pin2 1 is pro I the tension of the band 18. ,It is obvious that the tension thus exerted will have an influence upon the initial velocity of the projectile and that, instead of relying upon the stop provided by the pin, manual varlations may be accomplished so that the players may, by manipulating the catapult,

pro ect the projectile at varying initial ve-' locities, thereby varying the result.

The board 10 is provided with 'a plurality of obstructions whlch are represented by the pins 26 set in any approved manner in the field. The pins 26 are useful only in preventing movement of the projectile along a straight line. A plurality of pockets 27 are ofsuch dimensions and construction as to receive and retain the projectile 16. Ihe pockets are preferably in the form of wickets and may be of double formation, as indicated at 28 in Figures 5 and 7, or may be two wickets associated, as indicated at 29, in Figure 8, the result being identical in either case.

At any convenient place on the board, as, for instance, adjacent 'the lower edge, a strip 30 is provided having a plurality of openings 31 in which characters are positioned by means of stems 32, as indicated more particularl at Figure 4. These characters preferably indicate men, as indicated at 33 in Figure 4 and are employed in the playing of the game in the manner which will s11 gest itself.

lso at some convenient place, as between the strip 30 and the lower edge of the board, a strip 34 is employed for the recei t of records of the play as it progresses. his strip is preferably of some material upon which record can readily be made and as readily eliminated. For instance, thestrip 34 may be slate and the marks roduced thereon by a slate pencil in the usua l ner. Certain division's'will be marked upon and'ordinary man that this is merely a matter of choice and that the record tablet 34 may be of any material separated from or integral with the ,contiguous parts. At the locations indicated upon the board as Home, First Base, Second Base and Third Base a plurality of openings 35 are provided corresponding to the openings 31, so that the men 33 removed from the openings 31 may be positioned in re uires.

s the exact game to be'played on the board forms no part of the present invention and as the operation of the device depends upon the game played, no description the openings 35 as the play of the operation will make the board per se any more understandable than the foregoing description, and further description is, therefore omitted.

What I claim to be new is:

-1. A catapult for a game board embodying a. passageway comprising a hammer slidable in the passage, said hammer being provided with a plurality of spaced sockets, an elastic band, means to attach the elastic band to the board, and means engaging the elastic band and engageable in any of the sockets selectively.

2.. A catapult for a game board embodying a passage in parallelism with an inclined side comprising a hammer slidable in the passage and provided with a plurality of spaced sockets,'an elastic band, a hook for engaging said elastic band at one end, and astaple engaging the elastic band at the opposite end and adjustable in said several sockets.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 

